Adverting to the present state of our affairs with the United States,[5] he said that much as he disliked war, yet if the honour or interests of the country required it, he should sink all internal differences, and give his best support to the Government of his country.
This declaration was received with loud cheers.

It must be considered as very creditable to Sir Robert Peel.
[Footnote 5: _See_ Introductory Note, _ante_, p.

254.
(Intro Note to Ch.

X)] [Pageheading: CHINA] _Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._ FOREIGN OFFICE, _10th April 1841._ Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to submit the accompanying letters, which he received yesterday, about the operations in China, and which have just been returned to him by Viscount Melbourne, whose letter he also transmits.[6] Viscount Palmerston has felt greatly mortified and disappointed at this result of the expedition to China, and he much fears that the sequel of the negotiation, which was to follow the conclusion of these preliminary conditions, will not tend to render the arrangement less objectionable.

Captain Elliot seems to have wholly disregarded the instructions which had been sent to him, and even when, by the entire success of the operations of the Fleet, he was in a condition to dictate his own terms, he seems to have agreed to very inadequate conditions.[7] The amount of compensation for the opium surrendered falls short of the value of that opium, and nothing has been obtained for the expenses of the expedition, nor for the debts of the bankrupt Hong[8] merchants.